LOS ANGELES – A Burbank couple suspected of being the masterminds behind a Medicare scheme that took in $5.8 million in two years was arrested today on multiple counts of money laundering, tax fraud and other charges, the District Attorney’s office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Albert MacKenzie with the Fraud Interdiction Program said Sarkis Musoyan, 37 (dob 9-27-67), and his wife, Azatui Dilboyan, 37 (dob 3-31-68), were arrested at their Burbank home by investigators with the D.A.’s Bureau of Investigation.

Texas Attorney General Press Release
AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today sued a mail-order prescription drug service for exploiting seniors who need reduced-cost drugs by asking them to commit fraud by lying to drug companies about their income.
Drug companies offer programs in which qualifying seniors can obtain free prescription drugs. Each drug company has different income qualifications for their programs, but these are not solely dependent upon the person’s Social Security income.

Press Release NJ Division of Criminal Justice
TRENTON - Division of Criminal Justice Director Vaughn L. McKoy announced that the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor has charged an Essex County chiropractor and office manager for allegedly paying “runners” to illegally secure patients and to fraudulently increase the amount of money obtained from insurance companies. The “runners” were under cover State Investigators assigned to the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

FL Attorney General Press Release
TALLAHASSEE - Attorney General Charlie Crist today announced the arrest of the owner of two Volusia County assisted living facilities on criminal charges of defrauding the state’s Medicaid program of more than $69,000. The Attorney General’s Office also filed a separate civil action against Vidya Bhoolai, 42, of Holly Hill, seeking more than $800,000 in damages for numerous violations of Florida’s False Claims Act.
Bhoolai is the owner of Radiant Star Manor and Rising Sun Manor, both of which are assisted living facilities. According to an investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Bhoolai allegedly filed claims for 25 Medicaid recipients who either never resided in her facilities or resided there for fewer days than she reported when seeking Medicaid reimbursements. This improper billing defrauded the program of $69,145. Bhoolai faces criminal charges for 26 counts of Medicaid fraud and one count of scheme to defraud.

US Attorney Press Release
Boston, MA… A Cambridge physician pleaded guilty late Friday, May 13, 2005 in federal court and admitted to submitting false billings to the Medicare program.
United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New England, announced that DR. VLADIMIR SHURLAN, age 60, of 7 Channing Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to a one-count criminal Information that charged him with engaging in a scheme to commit health care fraud.

NJ US Attorney Press Release
NEWARK - Bayonne Medical Center, a hospital in Hudson County, today agreed to pay over $242,000 to settle claims that it overcharged Medicare, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.
A settlement agreement signed today provides that Bayonne will pay the government $242,340 to settle claims that from 1992 through 1998 it wrongfully submitted claims for inpatient hospital stays for patients who received outpatient services. As a result of Bayonne’s conduct, it received higher reimbursement than it would have had it billed properly, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart A. Minkowitz.

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced today the indictment of 15 people, including four doctors, a dentist, a psychologist, and an acupuncturist, on charges of participating in an insurance scam in which the New York City Transit Authority which is self-insured and private insurance companies were falsely billed for professional medical services that were never provided. A medical billing company, two heath care clinics that were also professional medical corporations and three other professional medical corporations were also indicted today.

The two-part investigation leading to today’s indictment began 18-months ago when insurance investigators from the New York City Transit Authority’s Special Investigation Unit, working with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Rackets Bureau, began an undercover investigation into PREMIER MEDICAL CARE, PC. Ten months later, investigators from the New York Police Department’s Fraudulent Accident Investigation Squad began an undercover operation at the OMNI MEDICAL CARE.

TRENTON - Division of Criminal Justice Director Vaughn L. McKoy announced that a former Bergen County certified public accountant has agreed to pay $325,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to Health Care Claims Fraud for inflating and submitting fraudulent insurance claims for medical services that were never provided to patients.
At the March 7 guilty plea hearing, Cohen admitted that between Jan. 15, 1998 and April 30, 2001, he knowingly submitted dozens of health care claims to insurance companies and/or self-funded health benefit plans for patient therapy and related treatments by adding additional hours and/or dates of therapy which were never provided.

TALLAHASSEE - Attorney General Charlie Crist today filed a civil complaint against a suspended Tampa physician alleging that the doctor billed Medicaid for more than $200,000 for services never provided. Dr. Lehel Kadosa was charged with violations of Florida’s False Claims Act following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
The suit alleges that Kadosa fraudulently billed Medicaid for injections designed to relieve lower back pain. The submitted bills included amounts charged for imaging that is supposed to verify that the needle is inserted in the correct position. However, investigators determined that Kadosa did not use imaging and instead blindly inserted a needle into the patient’s lower back, potentially placing his patients at risk. Medicaid was then improperly billed for the use of imaging that never took place.

TRENTON - Division of Criminal Justice Director Vaughn L. McKoy announced that a Hunterdon County woman has pleaded guilty to Health Care Claims Fraud and forgery for submitting more than 40 fraudulent health insurance claims worth more than $13,900.
According to Director McKoy and Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden-Brown, Carol Severe, 65, Hamden Road, Annandale, Hunterdon County, pleaded guilty before Hunterdon County Superior Court Judge Robert Reed to a criminal Accusation filed by the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. The Accusation charged Severe with Health Care Claims Fraud (3rd degree) and uttering a forged document (4th degree). When sentenced on May 6, Severe faces up to six and a half years in state prison and a fine of up to $25,000. Severe may also face civil insurance fraud fines pursuant to the civil Insurance Fraud Prevention Act.